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According to the National Safety Council’s (NSC) Injury Facts, 675 children under the age of 13 were killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2017. NSC believes securing children in safety seats goes a long way in keeping them safe, and safety seat systems should go beyond any state requirements.

SafeKids.com reports, “When installed and used correctly, child safety seats decrease the risk of fatal injury by 71 percent among infants, 54 percent among toddlers, and 45 percent among children ages 4-8. Children should ride in a vehicle back seat until they are 13 years old.”

NSC, partnering with Tennessee Tech University iCube, other child passenger safety technicians, and support from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and AAA Northern California, Nevada, and Utah, developed standardized child safety seat inspections. The new form is electronic to make it easier for technicians around the United States to access.

In its effort to decrease and/or eliminate the number of children injured or killed in accidents each year, NSC offers the following tips on child passenger safety:

• Read the NSC position statement on child restraints, which addresses child passenger safety among multiple modes of transportation.
• Take advantage of car seat safety checks held nationwide during National Child Passenger Safety Week.
• If you're pregnant, schedule a car seat installation with a certified child passenger safety technician before the child is born.
• Children should ride in the back seat at least through age 12.
• If your kids complain about wearing seat belts, don't negotiate; don't drive off until they buckle up.
• Always be consistent and wear your seat belt; driver safety belt use strongly influences whether your child will buckle up.
• All 50 states require child seats with specific criteria; here is a list of child passenger safety laws by state, but too often, state laws don't go far enough.
• The life of a car seat ranges from 6 to 10 years; be sure to identify the expiration date set by the manufacturer of the seat being used.
• Recalls for child seat manufacturers for the past 10 years can be found here.
• Airbags can save the lives of older children and adults, but they can be fatal for young children when not seated correctly, particularly in the front seat; never place a rear-facing car seat in a front seat near an airbag.
• Always read instructions provided by the vehicle and car seat manufacturers for properly securing children in all seating positions. 

“Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. urges anyone transporting children to review this blog’s information on car seats to prevent a potential tragedy. Should you or a loved one be injured in an accident, please contact our experienced legal team after seeking medical attention. It is important to investigate accidents, preserve evidence and speak with any witnesses before evidence is lost and memories fade. We are available 24/7 to assist you, and there are no costs or attorney fees until we have a monetary recovery for you,” said Fort Myers Child Injury Attorney Randall Spivey.

Fort Myers Child Injury Lawyer Randall Spivey is a Board Certified Trial Attorney – the highest recognition for competence bestowed by the Florida Bar and a distinction earned by just one (1%) percent of Florida attorneys.  He has handled over 2,000 personal injury and wrongful death cases throughout Florida.  For a free and confidential consultation to discuss your legal rights, contact the Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A., in Lee County at 239.337.7483 or toll-free at 1.888.477.4839, or by email to Randall@SpiveyLaw.com.  Visit SpiveyLaw.com for more information.  You can contact Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A.in Charlotte County at 941.764.7748 and Collier County 239.793.7748.